Weekly inflation decreases by 0.34 percent

ISLAMABAD: The Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) for the week ended on January 30 for the lowest income group up to Rs 8,000 decreased by 0.34 percent as compared to the previous week.The SPI for the week under review in the above mentioned group was recorded at 198.74 points against 199.42 points registered in the previous week, according to data of Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).The weekly SPI has been computed with base 2007-2008=100, covering 17 urban centres and 53 essential items for all income groups and combined.The SPI for the combined group decreased by 0.38 percent as it went down from 208.78 points in the previous week to 207.98 points in the week under review.As compared to the corresponding week of last year, the SPI for the combined group in the week under review witnessed increase of 9.05 percent. As compared to the last week, the SPI for the income groups from Rs 8001 to Rs 12,000, Rs 12,001 to Rs 18,000, Rs 18,001 to Rs 35,000 and above Rs 35,000 decreased by 0.36 percent, 0.38 percent, 0.40 percent and 0.39 percent, respectively.During the week under review average prices of 11 items registered decrease, while that of 11 items increase with the remaining 31 items’ prices remained unchanged.The items which registered decrease in their average prices during the week under review included tomatoes, chicken live (farm), egg hen (farm), potatoes, LPG, cylinder (11kg), onion, jaggery, sugar, mash plus (washed), red chilies and vegetable ghee (loose).The items which recorded increase in their average prices during the period under review included gram pluses (washed), cigarettes, garlic, bananas, masoor pluses (washed), curd, beef, wheat flour (bag), rice basmati broken, mustard oil and wheat.The items with no change in their average prices during the week under review included rice irri-6, bread plain (mid size), mutton, milk fresh, cooking oil (tin), vegetable ghee (tin), moong plus (washed), salt powder, tea, cooked beef (plate), cooked dall (plate), tea prepared (sada), long cloth, shirting, lawn, georgette, sandal gents, chappal spang, sandal ladies, electric charges, gas charges, kerosene oil, fire wood, energy savor, washing sopa, match box, petrol, diesel, telephone call and bath soap.